Cord stop applying machine



Aug. 28, 1951 H. NELSON 2,565,983

CORD STOP APPLYING MACHINE Filed Aug. 15, 1946 5 SheetsSheet l INVENTOR HARRY NL-LSO/V Fl G l BY HIS ATTORNEYS Aug. 28, 1951 H. NELSON CORD STOP APPLYING MACHINE Filed Aug. 13, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR HARRY AfLSO/V EL 1M HIS ATTO R N EYS Aug. 28, 1951 H. NELSON 2,565,983

CORD STOP APPLYING MACHINE Filed Aug. 13, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 \filS ATTORNEYS Aug. 28, 1951 H. NELSON 2,565,983

CORD STOP APPLYING MACHINE Filed Aug. 13, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG.IO FIG.|I

INVENTOR HA REY E S H613 BY QMIMM HIS ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 28, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFILCE com) stror APPLYING melanin Harry Nelson, New York, y fassignor to 'Lorentzen "Hardware Mfz g. 00112;, New York;

N. Ygacorporation OfNBWjYOIk a Application August ,13, magi-seri l missus? 401mm. (curse-=1) This invention relates to the application or stops or beads-to a cord, and it particularly contemplates a .machine for applying stops to a l/enetian blind tilt cord.

Venetian blinds customarily employ slat-tilting mechanism, knownas a tilter, to vary the inclination of the slats; and the tilter is usually actuated by a tilt cord reeved over a pulley. In so called iescapementor fself-adjusjting tilters, such as disclosed in .Nelson Patent 2,174,994, October'3, 1939, the pulley rotates idly at times and the cord is provided with stops to'limit the movement of the cord. Two stops are provided on the cord, one forlcordmovement in one direction and the other for cord movement in the opposite direction; and the stops, by engaging respective stationary loops .or rings through which the cordipasses, limit tlimovement of the cord. The provision of stops on the tilt cord has ,pre-

sented considerable practical and commercial 1 diificultxincludinglexpense of the stops, expense ofapplying them, tendency of the stops toslip on thecord, tendency olf'the stop toQkinkor deform the cord as it applied, difficulty of speedily locating two stops at thefrequired tspacingonthe cord, and difiicultyinexpeditiously and. economically, applying ,thestops in asatisfactory manner.

The generalobject of .the present invention is to ameliorate the vforegoing vdifficulties and .to endeavorflto eliminate them; andI have found thatthis can be accomplished Joy the use of cooperating dies .and punches for deforming .U- shaped drawnisheet metal stopsso as to shape them into smoothly rounded stopsor beadssurrounding jandfirmlyuengaging the cordisogas to resist displacement, suitable. stop-spacing means being provided to locate the two stopssat the desired spacing. A more w-specificlioblect of the present invention isto providea machinefor quickly and accurately applying stops toa cord.

'fAnother object is to eliminate kinking or deformation of theicord adjacent to the; stop. I A further object of v theinvention is to provide a ma'chine that will apply stops to a cordWitha predetermined cord length therebetvveen.

If, Another object is tofprovide. a machinevof the foregoing type in which the cord andjthe ,stop are ,quickly and easily positioned for the attachin operation.

f Aiurtheriobject is to provide amachine that will apply-two stops simultaneously.

. Further obj ects,. andobj ects relating to details hndoconomiespf constructionand usewmmore J55 definitelyanpcarirqm the detai d d sc p ion 11 follow. invention is clearly defined 1 1 21 app nd c aims.

ames ,lfor cla ity an mnvenience, but such nomenclature .isto be iun er o dfia ha ing the broadest meanin in ons st nt with the .contezi and with the conc ptrq [my invention as ,d stin S P item th pe tinen prion-a tbest f m in w c ih' vle ntcmmaten apnlxingmy invention is ustrated in he accompan ing q in s i mina'nart vof hi is cificatiompm which: M i v i :Fig. {1 is asideelellatiflniof ,the machine, a por; tion-of the ramework i fie't howni ic n s ction n a v o -FE-ig. 2 is an "enlarged .lvfirtical .cross section 'jqi eral (on theiine ;2., ,-2 nrpi 1.

-. i .3' inset ho izont sct o h -uppe no tionof-the mac ine-12 5 5 411 sene l io g heinm 3-3 of Fi ,2.

v Rig. Ais a vertical seetiontakengin general on th upper noaion n: rth mal ne t ken ingenstop and cord thqpunchand die n c *Ei l. -is-. hatd a amm t iviewrofiths st p in applied pos tio'n'ab Iu' th or t nnunch and diebeingindicated. 'Fig- 2 :isna 1 lratiQn of he stonin ap lie position on the.cordl :Fie. 13. azlonsi ndi lalsect o o -lthes'top pdsitionedeonlth rd, taken on t a i In lis o Eig.1,2. if" I efer ine .t F s 11 antitank-mac inesomp ise a,,12 sss snerallv indi, ed; ;as1 W h is manned ,on' als ripor 'sprram w r .16. press l5 has r-a frame Jim-in which a plunger ll ijs moilnte/d for reciprqcatoryyert' al cmqtio "the plung hrlectiir fild i mtardly vlnto ithes mmfi .WQ k-J Ph x v 3 is}??? ar l the QIaimsas elI as .in'th escr p ap parts are at times identifie b specifi depressed by the machine operator and plunger l1. this linkage comprising, in part, a pedal-actuated lever l9 which is adapted to be which is pivoted at the rear end 26 thereof to the framework l6. An upwardly projecting rod 2! is pivotally connected at its lower end 22 to the pedal lever [9- between its ends and is pivotally connected at its upper end 24 to the end of a lever 25, the opposite end of the lever 25 being pivoted to the framework 16. A link 29 has one end pivotally connected to the lower end of the plunger I1 and. the other end pivotally connected to the lever 25 between the ends thereof. A tension helical spring 21 has its lower end connected with a projecting arm 29 rigidly mounted on the rod 21, the spring extending upwardly and having its upper end secured to the framework 16. The linkage just described so compounds leverage as to greatly amplify the force as it is transmitted from pedal P to the plunger H. The spring 2! serves to return thepedal-lever l9 and plunger H to the normal raised position.

The plunger I! has a punch block 30 secured thereto between its journalled portions, the punch block projecting towards the front of the machine. A guide pin 3| is secured in the top of the punch block 30 by'a set screw 32 and is reciprocatably received in a bore 33 in the frame I8, the guide pin 3| being parallel with the plunger 11 and serving to prevent lateral movement of the punch block 30 as well as facilitating the reciprocation of the plunger.

Before proceeding further with a description of the machine, the stop which the machine is to apply will be described inasmuch as the detailed construction of the machine can be better understood if considered with the construction of the stop in mind. Fig.6 illustrates a cord 34 having two stops 35,' 35 attached thereto, the term cord including cord, string, rope or the like, and the term stop meaning any stop or head attached to a cord to engage a member positioned around or adjacent to the cord.

The stop 35 is preferably formed of drawn or stamped sheet metal, being outwardly dished and of generally U-shaped contour as viewed in Fig. 7. A pair of prongs 36, 36 project upwardly at each side from the base of the U-section or closed end of the stop in order to penetrate the cord 34 upon the stop being secured thereon, so as to resist displacement of the stop along the cord. The lower portion 31 of the stop 35 has a generally spherical surface which is not materially altered during the attaching operation.

As indicated in Figs. 10 and 11, the attaching operation is accomplished by forcing together a punch 39 and die 46, the punch and die both being generally cup-shaped as will be explained more completely in the following description. The punch 39 has an additional means actin therewith, not shown in Fig. 10 but shown in Figs. 2 and 4 which will be described later, for forcing the cord 34 to the-bottom of the stop 35 as the punch descends. As the punch 39 descends onto the die 40, it rounds the stop 35 from its U- shaped cross section to the circular cross section shown in Fig. 11, the free edges 4|, 4| of the stop 35 being brought into abutting smooth-line relationship and the outer surface of the stop being molded into a symmetrically curved surface of revolution, as shown in Figs. 12 and 13.

The nature and attachment of the stop 35 on the cord 34 having been described, the particular construction of the machine will be continued, reference being had" to Figs. "In order to apply two steps 35 simultaneously, two punches 39, 39 and two dies 40, 40 are provided. The two puuches 39, 39 are secured in recesses 42, 42 in the punch block 30 by set screws 43, 43. A clamping bar 45 is supported underneath and spaced from the punch block 30, the clamping bar being pierced by the lower ends of the punches 39, 39 and being supported by two bolts 45, 46 positioned for axial movement in vertical bores 41, 4? in the punch block 36, the heads of the bolts limiting the downward movement of the bolts in the bores and the lower ends of the bolts being threadedly engaged in the clamping bar. Helical springs 49, 49 surround the lower portions of the bolts 45, 46 and are positioned between the punch block 39 and the clamping bar 45, a portion of these springs being contained in the enlarged lower ends of the bores 41, 41 whereby the clamping bar is resiliently mounted on the punch block.

The dies 49, 40 are retained in bores 50, 50 in a die holder 5|, the spacing of the dies corresponding to the spacing of the punches 39, 39. The dies 40, 49 may be retained in the die holder 5| by set screws 52, 52 (Fig. 4). Referring toFigs. 2, 3 and 4, the die holder 5! is mounted on top of a die shifting bar 54 which is preferably composed of a plate of rectangular cross section which extends to the left of the machine as viewed in Fig. 3. Bolts 55, 55 and locating pins 48, 48 serve to secure die holder 5| in position on the die shifting bar 54.

The die shifting bar 54 is pivotally attached to the left end of a stationary shifting bar support 55 :by a pivot 58. The shifting bar support 56, which is forwardly inclined, is secured to the base of the press frame l8 by a pair of bolts 51, 57. The arrangement is such that the die shifting bar 54 may be oscillated forwardly and backwardly to move the dies 40, 40 from under the punches 39, 39. The portion 53 (Fig. 4) of the base of the frame It beneath the die shifting bar '54 serves as a firm base for supporting the shifting bar during the stop-applying operation; and when the bar 54 is shifted forwardly it is supported by member 56.

The die shifting bar 54 is extended to the left as viewed in Fig. 3 beyond the pivot 58. An upwardly projecting boss 59 is mounted at the extreme end portion 60 of the die shifting bar 54, the distance from one die 46 to and around the boss 50'and back to the other die 46 being equal to one standardized spacing on the cord 34 at which it is desired to secure the stops 35. Thus. the cord 34 may be passed around the boss 59 and extended through the dies 4|], 40 for application' of stops 35, 35.

A bracket arm 61 may be mounted on the die shifting'bar 54 so as to project towards the rear of the machine and a boss 62 mounted at the upper end of the arm 6|. The distance from one die 40, around boss 59, thence around boss 62 and back to boss 59, and thence to the other die 40 is equal'to a second (and greater) standardized spacing on a cord 34 at which it may be desired to apply stops 35, 35. To apply stops at this increased spacing, thecord 34 is looped as just indicated.

By making bosses 59 and 62 adjustable as to position, the machine may be adapted to provide continuous variation of the spacing interval of the stops. For this purpose conventional pinand-slot connections may be used, the bosses 59 and 62 being equipped with threaded studs which i -i s 5 9 's 592* and. iuesrei t nes niitspr thelike being used to clam the stops in any a'djii'sted ptsitibm rtiaei itaie adiiist; fiifnt, any suitable scale or indic'amay be marked along the slots. However, if only two standardized intervals of Sto -spacing are desired, I prefer to mount bosses 59 and 62 in fixed position so as to relieve the operator of the burden of making and chckin'g'adjiist'fifents. H

A cord guide bracket 54 be seeared to the die shifting bar 54 adjacent'th' die Holder-5i by a screw 65 passing through thebracket and threadedly engaged in the 'shiftihg' bar. The bracket T54 is provided withanupstanding flange SG 'ha'Ving t'wo notches 61, 61 extending vertic'ally and in line with the dies '40, 40, the notches serving to maintain the cord in stop apply'izfg position with respect to the dies. The cord gene bracket 64 is also provided 'with a downwardly projecting flange 68 'for limiting outward movement of the die shifting bar '54 by engagement with the inner face 63 of the shifting bar support 58, as well as with an upwardly proj'ectin'g flange 99 serving as a handle to be manually moved by the operator to oscillate the die shifting bar.

A bolt 19, threadedly engaged in'a portion of the frame [8, serves as an adjustable stop to position the dies 40, 40 directly beneath the punches 39, 39 when they are swung in preparatory to the stop-applying operation. A nut H serves to lock the bolt 19 against accidental displacement.

. The bolt 10 is so adjusted that when the die shifting bar 54 positions the dies 4|], 40 directly beneath the punches 39, 39, the shifting bar will rest against the bolt, as shown in Fig. 3.

The work-engaging portions of the punches 39, 39 and th dies 40, 49 are similar, each of the mating punches and dies being generally cupshaped and having a surface corresponding to the desired outer surface of the stop 35, this surface being a surface of revolution about the longitudinal axis of the cord. In addition, each punch 39 and die 49 has a pair of oppositelypositioned semicircular notches 12, 12 (Fig. 2) of proper width to receive the cord 34, so that, upon closing of the punch upon the die, the cord will not be deformed. The punches 39 and dies 49 are rotatively so positioned before being secured by their set screws that the several notches 12 will be alined in proper position for receiving the cord 34 which extends past the dies in the direction indicated in Fig. 3.

It will be noted from Fig. 4 that the forming surfaces of the dies 40, 40 are positioned somewhat below the top surface of the die holder 5|. The die holder 5| has a, pair of parallel slots 14, 14 extending across the top surface and cross axially intersecting the bores 50, 50 which receive the dies 40, 49. The slots 14, 14 are of proper width, depth and position to receive the cord 34 extending as indicated in Fig. 3, these slots alining the cord in proper position across the dies 40, 40. In addition, projections 15, 15, extending downwardly from the clamping bar 45 on both sides of the punches 39, 39, are so shaped and positioned as to pass within the slots 14, 14. The projections 15, 15 force the cord 34 downwardly in the stops 35, substantially to the bottom of the U-formation of the stops, and they also clamp the cord in the bottom of slots 14, 14 prior to the engagement of the punches 39, 39 with the stops 35, 35.

A downwardly projecting plate 16 (Figs. 1 and 4), secured to the front face of the punch block 30, serves as a guard to protect the machine opmg tne stdp appiyingoperation.

a stop 35 is inserted iii of the dies 40, 40, the

. bend ofthe h rorination o: the stop being placed at the bottom and the opensides of the stop being alined with the slots 14, n.- A looped length or 601i 34 is tHeIi placed with the two branches thereof eirtenemg throiig'li the Slots T4 14 and thence through the notches 61, 61 in the cord guide bracket '34-, the bi'ght of the cord 34 *being passed about the 'bos's59 or the boss 62 according to the spacing of the stops desired. With his right hand the operator holds the cord against the bottoms of notches *61, '61 and draws the cord reasonably taut, holding it so until the stops have been applied. The die shifting bar, which was prefer ably shifted forwardly away from the punches 39, 39 for the insertion of the stops and the cord, is now pushed rearward-1y by the operator, bring= ing the -dies 40, 49 in'a-1inement'with the punches 39," 3 9. Theoperator'then depresses pedal P, forcing the punch block 30 downwardly bymea-ns of the linkage described, and thereby forcing the clainp= iiig bar '45 and the punches 39, 39 downwardly. Prior to engagement of the punches 39, 39 with the stops 35, 35, the projections 15, 15 on the clamping bar 45 enters the slots 14, 14 in the die holder 5| thereby forcing the cord 34 downwardly in the stops 35, 35 and clamping the cord 34 against displacement. This clamping action exerted on the cord 34 serves to drive the cord to the bottoms of the U-formation of the stop 35, 35 and then to keep the cord lying flat during the molding of the stops so that the cord is not permanently kinked or distorted and will hang normally when in use on a Venetian blind.

As the punch block 30 continues downwardly, the springs 49, 49 yield, permitting the clamping bar 45 to remain stationary in clamping position While the punches 39, 39 continue their downward stroke to mold the stops about the cord. The molding action causes the stops 35, 35 to become tightly clenched about the cord 34, the outer surface of each stop being deformed by the punch and die to a smooth continuous surface of revolution. In its lowermost position, each punch has progressed to within approximately one-thirty-second of an inch of its mating die. Upon release of pressure on the pedal P the punch block rises, raising the punches 39, 39. As the punches rise they withdraw through the clamping bar 45, thus stripping the molded stops from the punches should they tend to adhere thereto.

After the punch block has reached its upper position, the die shifting bar 54 may be oscillated to forward position and the cord 34, with stops 35 applied in properly spaced position, may be removed from the machine, after which the cycle may be repeated. 1

From theforegoing description, it will be noted that this machine will quickly and easily apply stops at predetermined intervals along a cord and without deformation of the cord adjacent the stops.

I claim:

1. A machine for clenching a rounded, generally U-shaped sheet metal stop about a cord, said machine comprising: a die for receiving the closed end of the stop, cord-receiving means mounted closely adjacent the die and having a channel in alignment with the die and extending from opposite sides of the die for receiving a cord in straight-line position for clenching of the cord stop thereon, a punch mounted for movement Iii the operationof the machine-jest described-,-

towards the die to clench the stop about the cord, cord-clamping elements positioned on opposite sides of the punch and movable towards the channel, and means for moving said elements into resilient clamping engagement with the cord within the channel on opposite sides of, and close to, the die to clamp the cord before and during clenching of the stop, said latter means.

also moving the punch towards the die to clench the stop about the cord.

2. A machine as claimed in claim 1, in which the punch is carried by the punch block of a press, the punch block being mounted for reciprocatory movement, and the cord-clamping elements being carried on a member resiliently supported from the punch block for displacement relative to the punch.

3. A machine as claimed in claim 2 in which a second and similar die, punch, cord-receiving means, and cord-clamping elements are mounted beside the first die and punch and operated simultaneously therewith for simultaneously clenching a second stop on a Venetian blind tilt cord, and a projection is located a predetermined distance from the dies to receive a bight of said cord.

w 4. A machine as claimed in claim 3 in which the two dies and cord-receiving means are mounted on a member pivoted for horizontal swinging movement forwardly from beneath the punches to facilitate placing the 'cord stops and cord within the dies.

HARRY NELSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

} UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 308,087 McDonald Nov. 18, 1884 979,168 Joslin et al Dec. 20, 1910 1,107,758 Christy Aug. 18, 1914 1,348,336 Tom'kins Aug. 3, 1920 1 1,412,086 Norden Apr. 11, 1922 1,507,916 Granat Sept, '9, 1924 1,743,364 Liss Jan. 14, 1930 1,765,521 Barrans June 24, 1930 1,944,251 Mansbendel Jan. 23, 1934 2,304,582 Lyon Dec. 8, 1942 

